By Lucy Ashton
Scottish Labour has demanded action to improve mental health services as a new report reveals how badly services were hit by the pandemic.
A Public Health Scotland report on the impact of Covid-19 on CAMHS and Psychological Therapies has revealed that referrals to mental health services collapsed at the start of the pandemic.
The number of referrals to CAMHS plummeted by a staggering 70 per cent between March and April 2020, while Psychological Therapies fell by 48 per cent.
The most recent report show that in the quarter ending December 2023, waiting lists for both CAMHS and psychological therapies grew compared to the previous quarter and both missed their waiting time targets.
Scottish Labour warned that Scotland is ill-prepared for the mental health emergency it is facing and demanded action from the SNP.
The SNP pledged to raise mental health spending to 10 per cent of the NHS budget by 2026, however it has recently cut £30 million worth of funding.
Scottish Labour Mental Health spokesperson Paul Sweeney, left, said “Like so much of our healthcare system, mental health services were plunged into chaos by the pandemic – but the SNP had no plan for recovery.
“For too long the SNP has been asleep at the wheel as a mental health crisis spiralled.
“The turmoil of the pandemic created a mental health time bomb that services are still struggling to cope with.
“The SNP has axed millions from mental health funding this year, pushing their promises on mental health further and further out of reach.
“The SNP must act urgently to support mental health services across Scotland by supporting hardworking staff, driving down rising waiting lists, improving waiting times, and ensuring people can get the lifesaving mental health support they need when they need it.”
Top of page: Gartnavel Royal Hospital at Anniesland in Glasgow.
ENDS
I think the ship of the mental health time bomb has already sailed. And whose fault is it but none other than the SNP.
Jeepers Ed, the SNP whilst pretty grim, seem to be responsible for everything. The Tories do not get a look in.
Brexit disaster. No doubt an SNP failure. A bombing UK economy another SNP disaster. Ferry port travel chaos. Another SNP disaster. Crumbling services, police, hospitals, infrastructure, roads, living standards, inflation and cost of living crisis – It just goes on and on. But here is a warning. Too many attacks on the SNP could be reported as a Hate Crime now that the legislation is active
Already, within 24 hours between 3,000 and 4,000 hate crimes were made. Seems that many of them related to complaints about Humza and his ” white, white, white rant in Parliament. So be careful Ed lest some malcontent accuses you of hate crime against the SNP.
Otherwise keep up the good work!